Juice tasting nasty, going brown, and thin, wispy vapor – dry burn or new coil?

[lukewheeler]

I'm currently using a Rocket (1.8ohm microcoil) on an Origin mod, and a fully charged battery at 4.2v on this atty should output around 9.5 - 10w of power – plenty of power, in my experience, for a nice, vaporful and flavourful vape (I have a Kick 2 on the way to keep that great vape all day long).

Over the last day or so, I've noticed my juice starting to taste nasty, the vape is pretty much stone cold where it was nice and warm a couple days ago, the vapor produced is thin and unsatisfying, my clear juice is going brown in the tank which is never used to, and overall it's just a really bad vape that isn't doing it for me.

I'm at work so I can't do anything about it now, but when I'm home I'm gonna give it a good dry burn and see how that helps. However, in your experiences, are these more symptoms of a coil that's had its day? I only ask because I made the coil not even a week ago (it has been dry burned a couple of times since then, whenever I changed flavours), and I'd expect a microcoil to go at least two weeks or so. I'm not great at building coils so I'm hoping a dry burn is all I need – I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance!

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[Bunnykiller]

coil death is relational to amount of juice vaped I go thru 3-3.5 ml a day and replace my coil about every 3rd day. When I notice reduced vapor density or start getting that burn taste showing up, I know its time to change it out.
Juice choice also plays a role in how quick a coil will get cruddy and begin to decline in effectiveness. As a coil ages it developes a carbon crust around it, reducing the heat transfer, and imparting that burnt taste. As far as color change, some juices do this naturally, but on the other hand a burnt coil will transfer the crud into the juice in the tank, discoloring it and make it taste funky

 

[Talyon]

Coil could use a good cleaning or be replaced.

 

[Sad Society]

Depends on the type of wick you are using as well. Cotton wicks will wear out faster...about a week or so for me, while silica wicks should last longer. But cotton gives a better vape IMO and I don't mind having to change it out to keep the vape fresh.

Your coil could be gunked up as well. The type of juice plays a factor.

It sounds to me like your wick and/or coil is gunked up. You could dry burn if your using silica. But you can't dry burn cotton. The brown stuff is coming from your wick and coil and seeping into the juice.

I would build a new coil and wick and be done with it. But if you're feeling lazy...I would try a dry burn...if I was using silica, not cotton.

 

[dice57]

I would be willing to bet that your coil and wick are massively gunked up with juice, and you need to remove the wick, dry burn the coil to burn off the chunks of gunk, maybe brush it down with a small wire brush or old tooth brush, the re-wick, juice up and enjoy.

You should be able to get a month or two, maybe more, off the same coil before it needs replacing. Most rebuild before it's needed just to try out a different style build or wire. If you have a through the coil wick, then just snip it off next to one end of the coil, twist it out, and do a few dry burns. If you don't snip it of close to the coil, you risk damaging the coil when pulling it through, and then you would have to wrap a new one.

I generally can go two weeks or more on my Russian before I have to re-wick and dry burn, but I am using a vertical dual series mounted micro with external hemp fiber wick. With cotton, I usually changed it out once a week.

 

[Sad Society]

Another way to clean a coil. The way I do it, since I use cotton. Is remove the old cotton and use a butane torch on the coils...while holding the coil with pliers, of course. The gunk burns off, and when its hot and on fire, I put the coil under running water. I find that this helps getting more gunk off. Then I torch the wet coil again until the water is evaporated. Let it cool for a second, and then put in a new wick.